


Vouvoyer

by ladybonheur



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, The wonders of French grammar, spoilers from Jackady
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-26 08:04:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6230614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladybonheur/pseuds/ladybonheur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette wonders about grammar and how it reflects the emotional abyss between Adrien and Gabriel Agreste. Eventually, Ladybug decides to pay a visit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vouvoyer

**Author's Note:**

> Important info:  
> For those who are not aware, French has two distinct words for "you": "vous" and "tu".  
> "Vous" is the formal "you", usually used to address strangers, teachers, or people in a hierarchically superior position in general. "Tu" is the informal "you".  
> Nowadays, it is very rare (though not unheard of) for a kid to address their parents as "vous". Doing so is considered rather distant. And, well... Adrien addresses Gabriel as "vous".  
> Reactions inspired by my francophone friends' reactions when I asked about using "vous" towards one's parents.

Being to Adrien Agreste’s house had been a stunning experience in many ways.

Firstly, that was, after all, _Adrien’s_ house. Where he lived, where he ate, where he breathed. It probably even had his smell if she had stopped to pay attention to that. It was like getting to know a new side of him, so, from the first step into the door, she took in as much as she could.

Then, there was the _Agreste_ factor. White walls, expensive paintings, modern ornaments; every corner of the rooms decorated with calculated refinement. On top of that, there was Gabriel Agreste himself. As though his fame as a world-renowned designer were not enough, he had to be her favorite one as well. He looked so much taller in person than from the tiny screen where they had officially met.

Of course, there was also the fact that a group of mind-controlled soldiers was attempting to break into the house and kidnap said designer. That was adventure enough in itself.

But what had truly astonished her, among all breathtaking things in the Agreste manor, had been two particular sentences.

“ _Il faut que vous partez d’ici. Cet hypnotiseur, Jackady, il va s’en prendre à vous!_ [You have to leave here. That hypnotizer, Jackady, he’s going to attack you!]”

 _Vous_.

The first time, she thought she had misheard it. Adrien’s second sentence, however, confirmed it.

 _Vous_.

Adrien addressed his father as _vous_.

She had always known their relationship was not the best example of healthy love between father and son. She had not missed the fact that Mr. Agreste had not shown up the day parents were invited to talk about their jobs at school. Nor the disappointment in Adrien’s face when he was informed.

She knew the man was very strict regarding Adrien’s discipline and activities. He made sure to keep his son occupied and in perfect shape with all kinds of sports and language classes available. He was the main reason why Adrien had barely left home until he started going to school. He had denied him a birthday party.

Still. _Vous_.

Her mother called her grandmother _vous_. However, that was another time and, in a way, another culture – Marinette shuddered inwardly at thought of _wài pó_ ’s potentially infuriated expression for being addressed as _tu_. Her parents had being stricter in that regard, but that was just how they had been raised.

On the other hand, her father employed _tu_ for both of his parents. It was the natural, easygoing way of the Dupains.

Marinette had never given much thought about the pronoun choice for her parents. _Tu_ came naturally. They were family. They loved each other. They exchanged hugs and kisses as though it were oxygen. How could she choose such a strict, formal treatment as _vous_?

Even as Ladybug, Adrien had addressed her as _tu_. Someone who, for all he knew, was a superheroine with a busy agenda whom he had only met twice in his life. She was not even sure the first time had counted, as it had involved only intense staring from her part.

And yet, with his father, it was _vous_. They lived under the same roof. And Adrien called him _vous_.

 

* * *

 

“Marinette?”

The unexpected sound of her mother’s voice caused the girl to start, spilling some of her tea over the table.

“Are you okay?” Sabine asked in a concerned tone. “You seem a bit distracted.”

A nervous grin spread across Marinette’s lips. “Me? Ah, no, no, no, it’s nothing! _T’inquiète pas_! [Don’t worry!]”

There. There it was again. _Tu_. It came automatically to her. How come it was not the same with him?

 

* * *

 

“Hey, Alya?”

“Hum.”

“Do you know someone who uses _vous_ to talk to their parents?”

The brunette snorted at the question. “Well, yeah, my mom!”

Marinette rolled her eyes. “No, I mean… someone our age. Or close.”

“Nooo, that would be super weird! Can you imagine?” Alya blinked, wondering how that topic had come about. “Why? Did you see someone do it?”

“What? No, no, it was- er, just a curiosity!”

“Don’t you lie to me, girl. You saw it. Who was it?”

“Uh- It was- It was the daughter of my mother’s friend!”

“Well,” the blogger mused with an air of wisdom, “that friend must be like a general at home.”

“Haha, yes. Yes, must be…”

 

* * *

 

It was not just the _vous_ , she told herself. Adrien had seemed a bit down that past week and she wanted to make sure there would be no permanent traumas from the hypnotizer’s attack. It had nothing to do with whatever relationship – or absence thereof – Adrien had with his father. Absolutely nothing.

Although she still could not believe he called him _vous_.

Marinette slapped the side of her head for persisting on such thoughts. It was not her business. She had no right to intrude and she would not. This was a strictly professional visit, out of concern for a good citizen of Paris.

One who called his father _vous_.

“Ladybug?”

The girl bit her lip just in time to prevent a loud shriek from coming out in surprise. Adrien’s green eyes blinked from his window, just as dumbfounded as she was.

She hoped he had not seen her slapping her head.

“Hi! Adrien, wasn’t it?”

Smooth. Like she had not been to his house and almost seen him naked only a few days before. Totally suave.

“Y-yes,” he stuttered, looking around in mild confusion. “Is there something wrong? Is there an akuma nearby?”

“What? No, no, eh, of course not!” Ladybug said, a bit more quickly and in a higher pitch than she would have wished. She cleared her throat in an attempt to get her voice back to normal. “I was just doing a check up on you and your family. The last attack was pretty rough and I wanted to make sure everything was fine.”

Adrien’s eyes widened at her.

“Do you usually do this?”

No. She most definitely did not.

“Why, yes, of course! It’s a hero’s job after all!”

The boy lowered his eyes for a moment and Ladybug thought she had seen a hint of guilty sparkle in them. It went away quickly, though, as he smiled at her.

“I’m fine. Thank you.”

It was ridiculously unfair how one single smile from him was enough to make Marinette’s heart flutter like that. How his eyes glistened when they were upon her. Or how she caught herself smiling back without noticing.

“I-I’m glad!” exclaimed Ladybug, trying to compose herself. “I assume all is well with your father too?”

That was the question she had come to ask and the one she immediately regretted asking.

For a split-second, Adrien’s smile faded. A shadow crossed his eyes, as though cast by a painful memory. Then, in a blink, he was smiling again. Perfectly poised and pleasant. A model smile.

“It was quite a scare, but he’s fine too.” Even his voice sounded like an echo of what it had been a moment before – empty.

Ladybug was not sure “quite a scare” could adequately convey the idea of almost jumping to one’s death while thinking to be an airplane. Nor could she accept such a calculated smile and pretend that Adrien was, as he said, “fine”. But then again, there was not much else she _could_ do.

She was Ladybug. A stranger at best – at worst, a stalker, she assumed. Either way, there was no way to make a casual conversation beyond that. Her mind flipped around and searched every corner to find any excuse to dig in deeper, to say that he did not need to put a mask for her, to ask why _vous_. She found none that would be acceptable.

Repressing a frustrated sigh, Ladybug nodded and smiled. She was about to take her leave when the words escaped her.

 “He’s very proud of you, you know.”

Adrien blinked, unsure of what he had heard.

“What?”

Well. Now that she had started, she might as well finish it.

Ladybug’s smile turned into a grin as if that would hide her nervousness.

“Yeah! While you were in your room with Nino, he kept talking to me about how great you were! That you were a perfect son.” She might not be giving the most faithful interpretation to Gabriel Agreste’s words, but none of what she said was a lie either. “He’s very serious- I mean, a very important person, but he cares a lot about you.”

That was the truest part.

Gabriel Agreste was a man of many problems, to the point that even his son was intimidated enough to call him _vous_. But he loved Adrien. His eyes had glistened when he talked about him. Even if it had been momentarily, even if he had then dropped the subject and reassumed his façade, she had seen it. She guessed Adrien did not get to see it so much, so she might as well tell him.

Adrien’s mouth hung open as he stared at Ladybug. He looked like he was still processing her words, deciphering some strange code. She waited patiently until he had it all sorted out.

For a moment, Marinette was afraid she had intruded too much. Their interaction _had_ been limited to one rather chaotic day, after all. It would be naïve to think that had been enough time to fully grasp the dynamics between Adrien and his father. Perhaps coming had been a mistake.

All of her worries were soothed when Adrien’s lips parted into a smile. She would not have believed had she not seen it with her own eyes, but it was a different smile than the two before. This one was warm.

It was her favorite.

“Thank you,” Adrien said, his voice overflown with sincerity.

She wanted to stay longer. She wanted to talk to him. _God_ , did she want to hug that boy. But it was night time, she was Ladybug, and he was Adrien Agreste. Seeing that smile would have to be enough.

 

* * *

 

“Mom? Are you there?”

“In the kitchen, sweetie.”

Sabine’s eyes widened in surprise when Marinette came running and tackled her into a hug.

“ _Je t’aime_.”

She did not know what had caused such a spontaneous gesture. She knew better than to ask. Instead, she hugged her daughter even more tightly.

“ _Je t’aime aussi, chérie_. [I love you too, darling.]”


End file.
